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` (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. 8. T. AUTEY & S. D. AUTEY, Jr.

OAR GOUPLING. No. 250,480. Patented Dec. 6,188

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S. T. AUTEY & S. D. AUTEY, Jr. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 250,480. Patented Deo. 6,1881.

UNiTED STATES ATENT Erica.

SUMPTER T. AUTEY AND STANTON D. AUTEY, JR., OF NEW ORLEANS, LA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,480, dated December 6, 1881.

Application filed June 15, 1881. (No model.) I

Io all lwhom it may concern Be it known that we, SUMPTER TURNER AU TEY and STANTON DATE AUTEY, Jr., residents of the city of New Orleans, parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Gouplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description ofthe same', reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specitication.

This invention relates to means for coupling cars and means for uiicoupling the same, and is designed as an improvement upon the Letters Patent granted to us, No. 239,916, dated April l2, 1861.

Our improvement first consists in the novel construction of the spring draw-liar, in combination with the draw-head, as will loc hereinafter more fully described.

Our invention further consists in a link which is much heavier at one end than at the other, and provided with rocking surfaces, so that the heavier end when in the draw-head will hold the outer end in a horizontal plane for entering the draw-head of the approaching car, although of a different height.

Our invention further consists in novel means for operating the draw bar or link from the top of the car, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Our invention further consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and specitcally claimed.

Figure l of the drawings is a vertical longitudinal section ot portion ottwo cars, showing our improvements applied thereto; Fig. z, the end View of a portion of a car, showing means for operating the draw-harfi om the side of a car. Fig. 3 is a side View of our improved coupling-link. Fig. etis a horizontal sectional View oftwo draw-heads, showing our couplinglink in position. Fig. 5 is a front or face view 0f the draw-head. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central sectional view ot the draw-bar and coupling-link. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken through the line m x of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the gear portion of the draw-bar, showing the forked end straddling the stein-rod of the draw-head.

ln the annexed drawings, forming a part of our specilcation, the letters A A represent portions of the frame-work of two cars, to the bottom sills at each end of which are secured the draw-heads B B. lhe rear ends of the dra w-bars are constructed with the usual stems and collars, and provided with the usual yielding or buffer springs.

The draw-head B (see Fig. 6) is constructed with a slot, b, immediately above the chainber which receives the end of the couplinglink, and provided with the curved shoulder c, the object of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The letter C represents a draw bar, constructed, preferably, ofspring-steel, and formed at its front end with the hook d and eye or loop e, for the attachment of an operating-lever, D, and formed at its rear end with the forked portion f, (see Fig. 8,) for the purpose of straddling the stein of the draw-head. This draw-bar is attached to the draw-head B, at or near its rear end, by means of one or more straps or clips, F, as seen in Fig. 6. By thus constructing the bar of spring-steel and securing it at its rear end the forward end is permitted to rise under the conditions of an upward force,so that the link can be thrust into the draw head or removed from the saine, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. The letter G represents the coupling link, having one of its ends beyond the center made much heavier than the other end, for the purpose of balancing or maintaining the outer end of the link in a horizontal position when the said heavier end is engaged with one of the draw-bars or with a coupling-pin. This is accomplished by re enforcing the metal near one end ofthe side bars and the adjacent end bar in the process of forging the link,substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Gonstructing a link in this manner has many advantages in the coupling of cars, among which may be stated, first, that owing to one end being heavier than the other when the heavy end is introduced into the mouth of the drawhead and held therein by means of the drawbar, (see Fig. 7,) the link will be held in a horizontal position for coupling with the approaching car; second, that it removes the necessity of biakemen or other employs going between the cars and prevents the danger to limb and life.

The letter D represents the vertical rod at cached to the upper end ofthe draw-bar C by means of thc eye e. 'lhis rod D (see Fig. l) passes through eyes formed in the outer ends of the guides, brackets, or rods L L, and is provided at its upper end with a pivoted operating-lever, K, having its fulcrurn in the block L. The lever K, which is attached indirectly to the draw-bar, is held in a lower or elevated position by means of a pin, lo. passed through perforations in the standard R.

The guide-rods L are attached to the end of the car by passing the same through the end frame and one of the studs thereof, and the inner ends of these guide-rods are furnished with spiral springs a, retained in position by means of collars or nuts m, and the office of the coil-springs surrounding the guide-rods L iS to permit of a limited endwise movement in their respective tubes Z Z, as seen in Fig'. l ofthe drawings. Theinner end of the guide` rods, with the springs and collars or nuts, are protected from damage or interference by means of brackets or caps O. In some cases it will not be necessary to extend the guiderods entirely through the studding, in which case the studding would be formed with a small chamber or space for the end-play of the guide-rods.

In Fig. 2 we have shown means consisting of the fulcrum-block T, fulcrum-levcr K, and slotted guide-plateow, attached toa link, I, for operating the draw-bar from the side ot' the car, although in practice in box-cars we prefer to operate the draw-bar from the top thereof, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The slot b, formed in the draw-head B, (see Fig. 6,) permits ot the vertical elevation of the forward or hooking` e'nd of the draw bar, and the shoulder cot' the draw-head forms an abutment for the forward end of thevdraw-bar.

In Fig. 7, which is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 6, the draw-head is shown with a groove, into which is fitted the draw-bar to prevent any lateral or sidewise movement of the same.

We'claiin the right to vary the construction and the arrangement of the parts hereinbefore described and shown without departing from the spirit of our improvements.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The steel-spring draw-bar constructed at one end with. the hook d and at the other end with the forked portionf, substantially as described.

2. rlhe draw-head B, constructed with the link-chamber and the vertical slot b, in combination with the draw-bar l,attached thereto by means of a clip or strap, substantially as described.

3. rIhecoupling-link hereinbefore described, having one of its ends heavier than the other, androckingbearing,substantiallyasdescribed.

et. The combination, substantially as described, ot' thev drawhead B, constructed with the slot b over the link-chamber, and the steelspring draw-bar C, constructed'with the hook d, and the link Gr, heavier at one end, and provided with rocking' surface, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the steel-spring drawbar having at its forward end the hook or staple e, the vertical rod D, attached directly to the staple e of the draw-bar, and the guiderods L L, and the operating-lever K, substatitially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names.

SUMPTER TURNER AUTEY. STANTON DAYE AUTEY, JR.

In presence of- S. D. AUTEY, P. J. FINNEY. 

